Question #129

What about wearing crosses? What about illegal
aliens?

Is it okay to hang crosses in our homes or wear a cross
on a necklace? Also, as Christians how should we view the
issues pertaining to the "illegal alien" legislation? Is it
okay to employee/sponsor an illegal alien?

The Answer:

Please refer to Question 111 for a discussion
of the church’s responsibility to illegal aliens.

The wearing of crosses has become very popular in recent
years. Some people wear crosses who don’t even realize that
they are doing so because the Byzantine cross is different
from the standard reproduction. Many who object to the
wearing of the cross attend churches that have crosses on
their building, engraved on the pews or on the table for
the Lord’s Supper, on the cover for the trays used for the
emblems used for the Lord’s Supper, or other places in
their building. Of course, such uses do not make either
those uses or the wearing of crosses right or wrong. That
must be determined by the word of God.

Since there are no passages that deal directly with the
wearing of crosses, our task is to determine whether there
are any Biblical principles that prohibit their being worn.
The first obvious question is whether the wearing of a
cross constitutes idolatry. To answer this question we must
determine what constitutes a “graven image” in the biblical
sense. There are various Hebrew words used for image. 1.
“Pesel” and “pasil,” both of which mean “idol, image.”
There are derived from “pasal” which means “hew, hew into
shape.” 2. “Masseka.” This word commonly refers to a drink
offering or a pouring out. A more infrequent use, as in
Deuteronomy 27:15, is to “pour out” or “cast” molten
images. It is used of Aaron’s golden calf (translated
“molten”) in Exodus 32:4. There may be others, but this
will suffice for the question under consideration.

The context in which these words invariably appear is
the treating of such “graven images” as idols. According to
Strong’s, there are some 13 words in the Old Testament
translated “idol[s].” Without delving into the Hebrew the
meaning of “idol” is relatively clear – it is an object of
worship other than the living God. It may be a graven image
as is warned against in the Old Testament, but it may also
include an attitude of the heart in which we love something
or someone more than the living God. An example is
covetousness, which Paul tells us is idolatry. Colossians
3:5.

Most if not all of the crosses worn today are molten
(silver, gold, brass, plastic etc.) or carved (wood). If no
more than this were involved wearing a cross would clearly
be anti-scriptural. But more is involved. The context in
which the first restrictions against graven images appear
is that of false worship, i.e., the forbidding of bowing
down to idols. Exodus 20:4-5; Leviticus 26:1. It is not
likely that many wearers of crosses are bowing down to them
and worshiping them. Thus, not treating them as gods, they
are not idols, and this leads to the conclusion that it is
not ant-scriptural to wear a piece of jewelry in the shape
of a cross.

This, however, does not end the discussion. If one is
thoughtlessly wearing a replica of a cross as no more than
a piece of jewelry, does that cultivate the right attitude
toward the cross of Christ. It is difficult to impossible
to see how it could when it is treated as no more than
decoration or “bling.”

Some may protest and claim that they do not wear their
cross thoughtlessly – it remind us and to tell others that
they are a Christian. Really? I have seen many wearing
crosses whose conduct does not come close to that which
should characterize a Christian, just as many put a fish
symbol on their car and then drive like the devil. Even
assuming that their claim is true, is there not a better
way to remind us that we are Christian. Can we not “let the
word of Christ dwell in us richly”? Can we not carry a copy
of a New Testament to in memory that we are Christian and
to declare it to others? If those who declare that they
wear the cross to remind themselves and others that they
are Christian, but they are embarrassed to carry and read
in public a New Testament to do the same thing, there is
reason to believe that they fall into the category of
wearing their cross thoughtlessly. This is so because they
will declare their Christianity only through an ambiguous
method that can be taken as just “being one of the crowd”
who wears it as no more than the latest popular piece of
jewelry, while being unwilling to take an unambiguous stand
as a Christian by carry the word of God.

But it is argued, “I can wear a cross to school and I
will get in trouble if I carry a New Testament.” With such
a response the argument is over. The response admits that
the wearer of the jewelry cross is unwilling to suffer for
the true cross upon which the Savior died.

God's Plan of Salvation

You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

You must believe and have faith in God because “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)

You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called “Sinner’s Prayer” that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the “Sinner’s Prayer” to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel.
(2 Thess. 1:8)

You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus “Lord of your life.” Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just “accept Jesus as your personal savior.” We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)

Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God’s grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God’s grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)

What is the church of Christ?

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus promised to build a church.
In Acts 2:47, Luke tells us that people were being
added to that church. Thus, we can conclude that Jesus
built His church sometime between His promise in
Matthew 16 and Luke’s statement in Acts 2. Indeed, a
closer study of the events in Acts 2 reveals that the
Lord’s church was established on that first day of
Pentecost following the Lord’s resurrection when Peter
preached the first gospel sermon. That church is the church of Christ.

A common misconception about the church of Christ is
that “The Church of Christ” is its name. It is not. The
“church of Christ” is its description. The church of
Christ is the church that belongs to Christ, that was
established by Christ, that was built by Christ, and
that was bought by Christ. It is not our church; it is
His church, the Lord’s church. We are not voted into
the church by men, and we do not join a church the way
some might join a country club. Instead, God adds us to
His church when we obey His gospel.

Are those in the church of Christ the only people
who are going to be saved? Of course they are! God
adds people to His church when they are saved. If you
are not in the Lord’s church, then you are not saved.
If you are saved, then you are in the Lord’s church. To
be saved outside of the church of Christ is to be saved
outside of the body of Christ – and that can never
happen. Jesus is not just a way to the Father; he is
the way to the Father. As Jesus said in John 14:6, “ I
am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me.”

Thus, the real question is not what is the church of
Christ, but is rather how do you become a part of the
church of Christ? That question was asked in the first
century as it is asked today, and the answer remains
the same. We are saved and added to the Lord’s church
when we obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. Like the
Apostle Paul, we are saved when our sins are washed
away at our baptism.

There is one church of Christ. If you are a member
of something else or something more or something less,
then you are not serving God according to His plan or
according to His will. He wants you to be a Christian
and only a Christian, wearing only the name of His Son,
Jesus Christ, who is the head and the savior of the
church, His body.

What Must I Do?

What must I do? That same question was asked in Acts 2:37 at the end of the very first gospel sermon ever preached. Before we look at Peter’s answer in verse 38, let’s look at some answers Peter did NOT give.

What must I do? John Calvin answers, “Nothing!” According to Calvin, there is nothing we must do and nothing we can do. Each of us has already been personally predestined to Heaven or Hell without regard to anything we do on Earth, and so, logically, according to Calvin, the only answer to the question in Acts 2:37 is “Nothing.” But that is NOT how Peter answered that question.

What must I do? Many preachers today answer, “You must make Jesus the Lord of your life.” But that answer makes absolutely no sense then or now! Peter had just said in Acts 2:36 that “God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Jesus was already Lord of their lives! Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings, which means he is your Lord and your King whether or not you obey him or believe him. We obey Jesus because he is Lord and King – not to make him Lord and King.

What must I do? Many preachers today answer, “You must pray the sinner’s prayer and invite the Lord Jesus into you heart.” But no one in the Bible was ever told to do that. In fact, Paul prayed after he saw Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), and yet Paul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always (Acts 10:2), and yet there remained something he still had to do after calling for Peter (Acts 10:6). If praying the sinner’s prayer was all that Paul and Cornelius needed to do, then why were Ananias and Peter needed?

What must I do? Listen as Peter answers that question: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38) That answer has not changed one bit in the intervening 2000 years. If your preacher is telling you something different, then you need a new preacher! “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16)

We also have 24 lessons on First Corinthians. In this epistle, Paul deals with many current issues facing the church both then and now: immorality, divorce and remarriage, the role of women, spiritual gifts, the importance of love, and the resurrection of the body.

We have 25 lessons on Second Corinthians. In this epistle, Paul continues to deal with problems facing the church in Corinth, which now include an influx of false apostles who are belittling Paul and demeaning his apostolic authority.

We have 13 lessons on James and Jude, the two letters written by the earthly (half)-brothers of Christ. They have much to tell us about the Christian life and how we are to contend for the faith in a godless world.